Dr. Colleen Peterson
Dr. Renee St. Louis
We plan to conduct a comprehensive, nationally distributed online survey of 375 U.S. drivers aged 18 to 24 with the following three specific aims: 1) To describe the prevalence of distracted driving behaviors and their associations with mindfulness and other characteristics related to risky driving behavior in young drivers, our survey will incorporate evaluation of factors derived from established health behavior models. 2) In order to gauge the current adoption of mindfulness training in this population, we will assess awareness of mindful concepts and the use of formal or informal mindfulness training in the survey. 3) In order to gain additional insight into young driver experiences engaging in cell phone while driving, we will incorporate qualitative (open-ended questions). For drivers who do practice mindfulness, we can ask if they feel it has had an impact on their driving. This survey will provide contemporary knowledge of the prevalence and factors contributed to distracted driving amongst young adults and is necessary to build compelling evidence for intervention and instrument development.